The helicopter glided through the sky, vibrating slightly as the reporter adjusted her headphones.

A gentle breeze shook the craft, but she was used to it.

Inside, the cameras were ready, and the cameraman, a middle-aged man with a somewhat scruffy beard, focused on adjusting the lens to capture every detail below.

The reporter, a young woman with brown hair tied up in a high ponytail and wearing a fitted black jacket, held the microphone firmly.

Her voice was clear, strong, and laced with a critical tone that had become her signature.

"We're currently heading to the location of a new portal breach," she began, looking directly at the camera.

"This event has taken the nation by surprise. Just yesterday, we had another portal of similar characteristics that’s still being studied, and now this second incident has emerged completely unexpectedly. What is going on? That’s the question we all have."

The cameraman panned toward the horizon, where the flashing lights of military vehicles and hunters flickered like little stars on the ground.

In the distance, a cloud of dust and smoke rose above the buildings. The reporter furrowed her brow, the reflection of the lights gleaming in her eyes.

"The most concerning thing here is that the government, once again, has made no official statement," she continued, pursing her lips for a moment. "It seems they prefer to hide information rather than inform the public. And honestly, that’s no surprise. Since taking office, President Gregory Darsen has proven to be more skilled at covering up problems than solving them." She paused, and her tone grew even more biting. "But of course! How can we expect transparency from someone whose greatest achievement so far has been unveiling a statue of himself?"

The cameraman let out a small chuckle, but quickly refocused.

Suddenly, an explosion shook the ground in the distance, and the camera jerked to capture the moment.

The reporter raised her voice, pointing downwards.

"There it is! A massive explosion has shaken the area. Hunters and military forces are already engaging the monsters emerging from the portal. From here, we can at least see that the situation seems to be under control... for now. There’s a significant number of hunters in the area, and we can see reinforcements still arriving. It looks like this portal will be under control soon."

The camera focused on the battlefield, showing hunters with various weapons and abilities fighting the wolves still emerging from the portal.

Some hunters launched fire attacks that didn’t seem very effective, while others wielded swords or spears.

The reporter watched the scene carefully before speaking again.

"It’ll be interesting to see who takes control of this portal once it’s all over. Will it be the government, like last time, using the excuse of studying it to prevent future incidents? I hope not. Personally, I hope a well-established guild takes charge of this. At least they’re a bit more transparent with their actions, don’t you think?"

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

◇◆◇

In a family home in the center of Vandra, a young girl with light brown hair held a fork full of pasta, watching the TV screen with curiosity.

Her big eyes sparkled as the reporter spoke, and finally, between bites, she asked an innocent question.

"Mom, isn’t that lady giving a lot of opinions instead of just telling us what’s happening?"

The woman, with dark hair tied in a bun, looked at her daughter with a patient smile as she wiped her hands with a napkin.

"Maybe where she works, they let her do that, honey. Not all channels are the same."

The man sitting in front of them, a burly man with a shirt unbuttoned and a well-groomed beard, clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"Remember what channel we’re on, Lucia. Térion Channel, always critical of the government. What did you expect? This channel thrives on throwing shade at politicians."

The girl blinked, confused, and then looked at her father with more curiosity.

"And why are so many portals appearing in that city, dad?"

The mother quickly intervened, gently patting the girl’s head.

"Don’t worry about that, sweetie. We’re safe here. Everything will be fine."

Before the girl could ask more questions, the reporter’s voice grabbed the family’s attention again.

Now her tone was full of surprise.

"Wait a minute! The air here is changing... it’s freezing!" she exclaimed from the helicopter.

The cameraman focused downward again, capturing how the portal scene seemed shrouded in a cold mist.

The reporter staggered a little as the craft vibrated.

"It seems the helicopter’s rotors are having trouble... they’re partially freezing. What the hell is going on here?"

Inside the helicopter, the reporter gripped the seat as the cameraman adjusted the camera angle.

"Focus there, right there!" she ordered, pointing to a giant ice cube split in half.

A figure emerged from it: a man holding a massive ice sword.

His silhouette wasn’t particularly imposing, but the cold seemed to emanate directly from him, forming a dense fog around him, obscuring the camera’s view.

"This is unbelievable! A hunter has emerged from that ice prison, and it looks like he’s wielding a sword completely made of ice. Could this be the source of the cold we’re feeling?" The reporter paused, placing a hand to her ear to listen to something from the cabin, but quickly returned her gaze to the camera.

"You won’t see this anywhere else! And before we continue with the coverage, remember this report is brought to you by our trusted sponsor, Yelta Cola, the only soda that can freeze your thirst as quickly as that hunter freezes his enemies."

In the family room, the girl dropped her fork onto her plate and looked at her mother.

"What does that soda have to do with the portal?"

The woman chuckled softly while caressing the girl’s cheek.

"That’s how the world works, sweetie."

The father, on the other hand, grumbled in annoyance, pointing at the screen.

"That’s the problem with this channel—those shameless ads where they shouldn’t be!"

In the air, the helicopter wobbled slightly as a gust of wind hit the craft, causing the reporter to let out a small scream of surprise.

"What the hell was that?!"

The cameraman focused on the ground, where a woman with short silver hair floated, surrounded by an aura of wind that seemed to repel the cold mist.

She wore light silver and green armor, with a staff glowing brightly in her right hand.

She was imposing, with a serene yet focused expression.

"It’s Ardena, the S-rank hunter specialized in wind magic!" the reporter exclaimed. "Although... honestly, she could’ve been a bit more careful. That gust almost knocked us out of the sky."

The cameraman refocused on the portal, just in time to capture the scene that left everyone stunned.

The entire portal, along with the remaining wolves, was completely frozen.

The reporter took a few seconds to react before saying, incredulously,

"The portal and the remaining monsters... have been completely frozen!"